HTC Desire Review – Verdict, Pros and Cons

You’ve seen it all and experienced the HTC Desire from my point of view. This is the final chapter of this review. This part of the topic consists of mainly the reasons of getting Desire, verdict, rating of the elements, pros and some cons. This should eventually give you a clear picture of the product and distinguish itself as one of the best Smartphone available around at this time.

Personal Rating

Here I’ve rated the specific parts of the phone and features from my personal experience, the links are the re-cap of this phone topics.

Flash support : The HTC Desire is capable of playing Flash games, It might not perfect but at least they have it.

Web wonder : Browsing the web is speedy and the mix of Flash and 3.7-inch screen means websites render well.

Camera : The five-megapixel camera is the best yet from HTC, capturing reasonably sharp images. It throws in a decent LED flash too.

Video : The Desire features excellent video capture at 800×480 pixels and a superb screen to view it on. Supports up to 32GB microSD for adequate storage.

Social networking : Facebook, Google and Twitter are integrated with HTC Sense, meaning you can sync your Facebook, Twitter, Google Contact/buddies with their phone book entries, giving a very easy way to check their status updates.

Messaging : Push email over Exchange as well as Gmail and other webmail accounts is supported. You’ll never be out of touch again.

Value For Money (VFM) : The Desire is better equipped and cheaper than the iPhone 3GS or Nexus One, whether bought SIM-free or on a contract.

HTC Desire Pros (Things I Liked)

The HTC Desire is a feature-rammed phone with the hardware to support it. It’s got a huge screen with the 1GHz processor underneath, and the Sense UI is a system that keeps getting better with every iteration. HTC Desire – it just works as you want it to as a phone and an internet tablet pc at the same time.

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The Sense UI, Leap View and social network integration is all seamless and useful and the internet browser with pinch to zoom is simply fabulous. Awesome customization options on the home screen makes it even more personal.

The camera is probably the best I’ve seen from HTC series of phones. Overall experience was fast and intuitive.

Smooth edges mean comfortable for long phone calls

Rubberized edges give the phone more grip

Inclusion of Leap View which gives you top down view of home pages

HTC Sense customization options and widgets

HTC Sense rich contact integration

3.7 inch AMOLED screen is bright and vivid

Internet Browsing is most satisfying than on any other phone

Flash videos supported (partially)

Speed and power which launches applications in a jiffy

HTC keyboard is fast and accurate and has adaptive learning capability

Photos from the 5 megapixel camera

Photo editing options on the HTC Desire like “Solarised”

Media player is decent

Huge collection of Free applications at Android Marketplace

HTC Desire Cons

Let me be honest – there’s not a lot wrong with this phone. Just found out that the Bluetooth music playback is a little patchy and the battery will drop a little easily if you leave everything updating in the background.

Limited application storage (if you are application junkie)

The screen is fingerprint magnet (but a proper screen protector can solve this issue)

The screen is less visible under the direct sunlight

HTC Sense widget auto-refresh time can drain battery

No HD video recording (not really a big deal)

Video playback could be better

Battery only lasts for a day with active use

Video frame rate (fps) could be better

No DIVX decoder, HTC Should upgrade this as soon as possible because Samsung Galaxy S I9000 already comes with DIVX Decoder.

Usability for camera could be better in UI and Image Stabilization is not present, you really need a steady hand

Verdict

This is a phenomenal device – one of the best you can get your hands dirty on. Usually when I like a phone on the first use, I get disappointed after a little time with it, but the HTC Desire kept on performing and achieving when I thought it would not be able to.

The screen is lovely, the design is slick and processor makes everything happen in a flash – all you’d want from a Smartphone.

A stunning phone, and one that will show the world that Android isn’t just for the hackers and phone geeks any more. It’s for YOU!

Sure, some people will want slightly nicer design a simpler home screen and richer app store (iPhone 3GS) but as a piece of hardware HTC Desire without par in the mobile world.

The Desire is confidently taking charge of the HTC Android lineup (right beside the Incredible) and I have no reason to be disappointed. This is one of the most impressive among the droid fleets these days.

Acknowledgement

Thanks to Maxis Telecom for providing such wonderful opportunity for me to do this extensive review about this phone. If they didn’t provide the device I won’t be able to test it out in this much detail. This topic is a part of Maxis 10 Reviewers Programme.

This phone is available in Malaysia from Maxis Telecom and priced at RM2199 as retail price. Even more interesting is that you can get this phone for RM1499 if you subscribe to any of the Maxis voice and data plan. Now that is what I called affordable.

I got this Desire yesterday and I’m looking to trade it in for the Blackberry Bold if I can’t figure out how to open my pdf email attachments soon. I love the speed and features but I need to read my attachments on the go for my job. Everything I have seen in the manual says you must plug it into the computer and save them to your card in order to view them with the pdf viewer which is redundant for my purpose. Is there an app or something that will open these?

dt

loads of apps, search “pdf viewer” in the android market app and take your pick!

Abueloeddie

This Handset is vey good at what it does, but it’s what it WON’T do that concerns me. When connected to a BT handsfree in -car device, the HTC will not perform even the most basic task, that is, to open the line automatically when called.. The incoming call rings a ringtone and the driver must then open the line manually by touching the “Answer” button on the screen. All of my previous phones (3 Motorolas) in the last 5 years performed this basic safety requirement to good driving, but this very expensive and sleek model does not…

Nor will it play an MP3 file via the BT’s mono loudspeaker even when connected correctly to the vehicle’s BT system.

http://www.ruhanirabin.com/ Ruhani Rabin

Excellent point made. I haven’t been able to check these features of Bluetooth and yes they should have the option to enable auto answer while in BT mode.

Thank you so much for providing this information

Abueloeddie

Thank you for your reply. Are you able to forecast a future ‘upgrade ‘ which will be made available to HTC Desire owners which may hopefully enable this Auto answer feature? It’s strange and if I may be so bold as to say very indicative of the ever inreasing way in which mobile phone manufacturers hold their paying customers in absolute contempt, as they continue to design handsets with ever more clever – clever gizmos, yet fail completely to provide the most basic of safe driving ‘hands free’ features.

In the UK, where holding a mobile phone whilst driving is illegal and even using one correctly connected to a hands free system is frowned upon by the authorities, the omission of this feature is, in my opinion, sufficient grounds for a claim of ‘unfit for purpose’ (See UK Sale of Goods Act 1994)

Wimbosdijk

Hi Ruhani, I am very glad with my Desire, much better than that Windows smartphone I used before, but … what is the way to delete photos in one time and not 1 for 1. Gr Wim

http://www.ruhanirabin.com/ Ruhani Rabin

Hi, yes actually you can delete multiple photos.. go to gallery mode, when you click the recycle/delete button, a red cross will appear on the photo you’ve selected.. once in that mode.. scroll to the next photo and tap on another photo it will select it for deletion.. once you have selected the photos you want to delete.. just hit the delete confirmation button and it will delete multiple photos :) beside that you can use Astro File Manager for your day to day operations. check here ::http://www.ruhanirabin.com/apps-boost-new-android-phone/

akv2002

Two basic question: (as I am thinking of buying HTC Desire)1. Why cannot i install android 2.2 from google, and have to wait for HTC sense?2. If i buy it from t-mobile, does the OS will have tweaks (layers) from both? HTC (as HTC sense) as well as t-mobile.

As I want to be free to update my phone's os when the update is released by google. Rather than wait for t-mobile OR HTC to release their own version.

http://www.ruhanirabin.com/ Ruhani Rabin

@Jeff, Glad you are back with your experience about this device. All new devices and interfaces have some learning curve of course :) Honestly I haven't really taken out the manual from the box till now. The rating was mainly about what is my experience about the phone. It might or might not align with everyone else (That is simply because we are human). Everyone's expectations and experience could be different. Coming back from a keypad phone (blackberry), the only curve for me was the touch typing. If you go have a chance to test the Samsung Galaxy S, they have their own type of interface too. I'm wishing peaceful and easy solution for the long term relationship between you two :D And of course your point is taken .. Learning curve for the non techi users.

http://www.jeffpinkham.com Jeff Pinkham

I found your rating to fairly match my analysis of this product and early experience.although now after a few weeks, I find the learning curve to be quite steep. I've been a Windows heavy user with some exposure to gmail and picasa but this is quite a complex machine to get around your head. the manual is over 200 pages and there are many issues it does not cover. You should warn users to be patient in acquiring the necessary skills; specially non techies. I'ts dampened the Desire honeymoon but looking forward to long term happiness.

http://www.ruhanirabin.com/ Ruhani Rabin

I'm so glad you got yours and you are absolutely right too! Well there aregreat apps for Desire too .. I am collecting and there will be more topic onapps hopefully soon!

Ccnx_aragon

Bought my desire over 3Gs 3 weeks ago,the second day launch by Maxis :) didnt regret making this decision, it was my first smartphone but it does impress me kao kao, everything is perfect! camera is good(if I want super photo I would have bought a DSLR), UI interface is smooth like hell(abit lousy than iphone and apps is not as much, but consider I buy it at RM1499 which is SOOOOO much cheaper than the outdated 3Gs) I hate reading some review(like gizmodo) where they pick a certain issue from a phone and put a bad overall verdict based on the it, like how they drown HTC HD2 just because it's a WM6.5 phone, anyway thanks for the review…has helped me a lot

http://www.ruhanirabin.com/ Ruhani Rabin

I understand your point of view but it would be unfair comparing iPhone 4 with Desire .. =) I'm glad some of my insights helped you.

http://www.ruhanirabin.com/ Ruhani Rabin

I'm glad you did! :) Congrats! I'm sure you are having fun!

Liam

I will be honest i was and still am a massive iphone fan having owned the 3g and 3gs. i hav been finding it very hard to choose between the iphone 4g and desire for my upgrade due just now. however ur article has made my desicion, will definetly be ordering the desire. like the the freedom the htc desire gives you to personalise and make it your phone. thanks for your article.

Ali Murray

Got my Desire today, bought based on a recommendation from a friend, the right contract package AND this review. Thanks a lot, this really helped me make my decision and so far after playing with it for 6 hours I absolutely love it.

http://www.ruhanirabin.com/ Ruhani Rabin

Glad you liked it :) and so happy you are getting yours soon! awesome!

http://twitter.com/Spectreoutreach Spectre Phang

awesome review! going to get my *DESIRE SOON*

http://www.ruhanirabin.com/ Ruhani Rabin

The phone price differs in every country and currency. The reason I put higher rating in value for money is based on my personal experience. Not necessarily would apply on everyone else. If you like to know the price at Malaysia, it is actually stated at the end of this chapter :)

http://www.webfroze.com Mukundan Srinivasan

In the first rating u have mentioned medium price. It would be better if you mention the price there. I feel the rating for ” Value for money” is little high.

http://www.ruhanirabin.com/ Ruhani Rabin

Glad you liked it Paulo

http://www.ruhanirabin.com/ Ruhani Rabin

Hi Jeff, :) Glad you own one now. How did you describe “I found your rating to reflect fairly my short experience.”

Does that mean the ratings somewhat matches with your experience?

http://www.jeffpinkham.com Jeff Pinkham

Good review. I bough mine by Part 6, could not wait for this one. with some experience of using it, I found your rating to reflect fairly my short experience.Thanks Ruhani

http://twitter.com/zeemp Paulo Miranda

Thanks for the nice review, this is definitely a phone I'd like to have. :)

http://www.ruhanirabin.com/ Ruhani Rabin

Thanks Bro, Glad this could help someone!

http://compixels.com Binoy xavier

Nice post, Ruhani. The entire series was worth reading. Sure there will be many fans for HTC Desire after reading :)